Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld

57 reviews

vulpinevik's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I haven’t read a book so poignant and full of lush imagery like this one in a long time. The narration and writing style were downright poetic—brimming with oceanic folklore. Every chapter built up the suspense until the mid way point when suddenly the reader finds herself questioning reality. Even when you think you know what will happen next, Wyld throws in another tidbit that will set the plot spiraling in a deliciously tormented way. It was disturbingly delightful. The story, which is interwoven between three perspectives of women from varying centuries, will shock you with how the characters overlap one another in their suffering and eventual growth. I’m definitely going to pick up another book by the author because my heart is full after reading this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Rape

oleanderwillow's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca' and similar to Laura Purcell's books. Took me a week to read because of a reading slump but also because I needed time in between the chapters. This book is so full of realistic and heart-breaking violence against women and young boys that it is difficult to read, so I didn't rush it. You need to be in the right headspace to read this, and please take into account all the trigger warnings attached to this novel. Well-written, beautiful setting, realistic characters, wonderful book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

anna220310's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, and Death of parent

Minor: War

This is very hard to read, emotionally, but a very important read. A masterful representation of the pervasiveness of violence against women throughout time, and a call for rebellion. Although The Bass Rock could be classified as gothic fiction, it is much too realistic to be called that, even though that fact is hard to stomach. Evie Wyld also does not only portray violence against women, but also the violence men enact on young boys, so it feels like a comprehensive portrayal of the ridiculously extensive normalisation of sexual violence that is integral to the patriarchal system. If anyone doesn't understand why it is dangerous to be a woman, today as well as throughout history, hand them this book.

hannahwooster's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Miscarriage and Vomit

Minor: Suicide

majrose's review

dark emotional sad tense

intensely disturbing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction

Minor: Miscarriage and War

franceselsie's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Sexual content, and Vomit

azebrareads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

nyne's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

abookishtype's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

 The small community near East Lothian’s Bass Rock is not a safe place for women or children. It seems that it never has been, as we learn in Evie Wyld’s unsettling novel The Bass Rock. Wyld’s narrative sends us reeling back and forth in time as depressed Viv, oppressed Ruth, and hunted Sarah try to find a measure of peace on their scrap of Scottish coast, with variable success. This is a difficult book and I’m not entirely sure that the payoff at the end was worth the creeping dread I felt while reading it...

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Murder, and Gaslighting

savvylit's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

The Bass Rock is a captivating novel about the full spectrum of male violence. From gaslighting and manipulation to sexual violence and murder, Wyld slowly and subtly drips in the myriad ways that men have controlled & harmed women throughout history. The Bass Rock forces readers to pay attention to what all women know - but may only occasionally acknowledge for sanity's sake. That each one of us has experienced male violence. Each one of us has had some of the very same fears and realities faced by the characters in these pages.

Needless to say, The Bass Rock is an emotionally heavy book. However, Wyld maintains reader interest by switching between each of her vivid, flawed characters. There is so much more to this novel beyond the violence. There's evocative descriptions of the Scottish coast, complicated family dynamics, paranormal activity, claustrophobic small town encounters... Wyld writes so beautifully that you can't look away. While reading, I found myself vacillating between feeling frustrated, hopeful, disappointed, unsurprised, and deeply depressed. If you decide to read this too, please be sure to take care of yourself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Miscarriage and Pregnancy